In general terms, drop ceilings are suspended below the actual ceiling to restrict the view of the ceiling and create a more appealing view from the floor. Suspended drop ceilings are usually hung at a distance below the structural members to hide mechanical and electrical equipment, along with electrical conduit, HVAC ducts, water pipes, sewage lines, lighting fixtures, and similar structures. In order to construct a suspended drop ceiling, a metal grid is suspended from the actual drop ceiling, usually by wires, and acoustical or similar tiles, are inserted and supported by the grid.
In order to minimize excessive and/or unwanted sound generated because of the exposed ceiling, one solution is to hang product from the ceiling at certain intervals to allow for the exposed ceiling to be viewed, but to reduce the acoustic profile. As an example of a structure intended to reduce unwanted noise is the Supported Architectural Structure disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,782,987, to Kabatsi et al., which discloses a plurality of primary supports configured to couple with one or more architectural structures, and a plurality of flexible fins is incorporated into the structure using primary supports, secondary supports and attachment points.
Another example of a drop ceiling structure is U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/774,233, to Stackenwalt et al, which discloses a decorative structure, which may be curved, suspended within a space and which includes a panel fastened to a support structure by a clip, a portion of which extends along a face of the panel.
These examples utilize additional supports, attachment hardware and clips to assist in suspending the flexible fins or decorative panels to the drop ceiling or to drop ceiling structure. In doing so, each of these examples necessitate tools to assemble the structure and to suspend the structure to the drop ceiling or drop ceiling support structure.
As such there is a need for a dynamic acoustic fluctuating ceiling system that includes multiple shaped ceiling product that can be quickly and easily installed onto existing construction drop ceiling hangers or similar support structures without the need for tools, separate attachment devices, clips or the like. There is also a need for a dynamic acoustic fluctuating ceiling system that is an aesthetically pleasing image, such as a fluctuating image, along with the function of reducing unwanted noise.
The foregoing is intended only to illustrate the present technical field and background art and should not be taken as a limitation or disavowal of claim scope.